Slice of Chocolate Sponge Cake

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie. Separate the eggs and beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale, thick and foamy and the sugar has dissolved. Put the melted chocolate to one side, cut the butter into small pieces and stir into the chocolate. When it has cooled put the chocolate on top of the egg and sugar mixture and fold in. Sieve the flour over the mixture and fold in. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks and fold in, then transfer the mixture to a springform pan lined with baking parchment. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Test to see if it is done by inserting a wooden cocktail stick. When done, take out of the oven and leave to cool.

Mix the quark with the sugar. Whip the cream until stiff. Drain the cherries, heat the cherry juice and thicken with cornflour mixed with a little of the juice.

Carefully split the cake horizontally. Cover the bottom half of the cake with cherries, reserving a few to garnish. Sprinkle with the cherry brandy and spread with 2/3 of the quark cream. Replace the top half of the cake and spread the rest of the quark cream on top. Make a pattern on top of the cake with the thickened cherry juice and garnish with the reserved cherries.